


A Stone Unthrown

by Kispexi2



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-22
Updated: 2008-08-22
Packaged: 2017-10-09 01:06:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/81349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kispexi2/pseuds/Kispexi2





	A Stone Unthrown

Hakkai places a pack of leaf tea into the wire basket he has draped over one arm and turns to Goku with a smile. "Do we have anything else on the list?"

Goku traces a fingertip down the piece of paper in his hand. "Two hundred Hi-Lites," he reads carefully. "Two hundred Marlboro Red."

Hakkai gives a soft cluck of disapproval and places his basket down on the counter. "I'll take one hundred Hi-Lites," he tells the shopkeeper. with another pleasant smile, "and one hundred Marlboro Red."

"But-" Goku begins but it's too late. The shopkeeper is already ringing up their purchases on his till and it jingles happily as each number pops into view through the clear glass panel at the top. For a moment, Goku's entranced but as soon as he and Hakkai step out into the street, the niggle of worry returns.

"Sanzo said _two_ hundred," Goku frets, waving the shopping list under Hakkai's nose. "An' so did Gojyo. They'll be mad if they run out before th' next town, Hakkai."

"Very probably," Hakkai concedes, "but it will do them good to cut down a little, Goku. Smoking can cause some very serious illnesses."

Goku swallows uncomfortably. "It can?"

"Oh yes," Hakkai replies with an emphatic nod of the head. "Cancer, heart disease, lung disease, impotence ..."

Goku blinks. "So why do Sanzo an' Gojyo wanna smoke if it's so bad for ya? Are they crazy?"

Hakkai sighs. "Not so much crazy as _addicted_."

"Wha's that?"

"It means they've become dependent on nicotine – a chemical in tobacco. Their bodies crave it. They need it to control stress, to help them concentrate and to relax."

"But if it's bad for them," Goku frowns, "they oughta stop!"

Hakkai shrugs. "That's easier said than done, I'm afraid. When you've come to rely on something as strongly as they have, you can feel lost without it."

 

* * * * * *

"About fucking time too!" Sanzo snaps as Hakkai turns the key in Gojyo's front door, letting himself and Goku into the house. "I finished my last cigarette an hour ago."

"Well, we're here now," Hakkai points out, and sets the shopping bags down on the table.

Sanzo dives straight into them, grumbling with impatience as he digs through the groceries. Finally, he finds what he's looking for and cracks the multi-pack open with a sigh of relief. To Goku's surprise, he makes no comment about there being only half the number of cigarettes he asked for. In fact, he doesn't even seem to notice; he's too concerned with shoving a smoke into his mouth and lighting it up.

Sanzo's lips tighten around the little white tube of paper and tobacco and his eyes slide blissfully shut as he inhales. Goku watches his cheeks hollow and feels that familiar flutter of hunger he always seems to get when he looks at Sanzo these days – not the stomach sort of hunger but the kind that's low, low down in his belly. Goku licks his lips and shifts from one foot to the other. With his head tipped back and his shoulders beginning to relax, Sanzo looks really peaceful - peaceful and _beautiful_ \- and Goku's hands itch to touch him, but he knows better than to try. He knows better than to stare at him openly like this too but he simply can't help himself, and when Sanzo's lips part and he exhales, the deeply sated sound goes straight to Goku's groin. He couldn't turn away now, even if he wanted to.

Then, all of a sudden, Sanzo's eyes open. "_What_?" he demands, instantly prickly.

Goku's mouth is too dry for him to form words, so he shakes his head vaguely instead.

Sanzo gives a short, hard laugh. "What? You're not going to complain about me smoking? About the smell?"

"Nah," Goku shakes his head again, with more conviction this time as he lifts the shopping bags from the table. " 's okay. I understand."

Sanzo's eyes narrow and he takes a couple of steps nearer. "What do you mean, you 'understand'?" he growls. "Have you been smoking? Because if you have, I'll kill you!"

"I haven't!" Goku squeaks, ducking out of range of the fan.

Sanzo is still muttering suspiciously as Goku hurries off to the kitchen starts unpacking, but it's true; he hasn't had so much as a single puff on a cigarette in his entire life.

He doesn't need to have taken up smoking to be painfully aware of what being addicted feels like.  



End file.
